


Noble Maidens

by mercredigirl



Category: Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, POV Female Character, Post-Ring War, Third Age, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-16
Updated: 2012-02-16
Packaged: 2017-10-31 07:04:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/341278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercredigirl/pseuds/mercredigirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘What have you hidden from me, dear majesty?’ Éowyn teased. ‘I knew not that you too were a horse-lord at heart.’</p>
            </blockquote>





	Noble Maidens

‘Take thou this,’ said the queen; ‘it is my bride-gift to thee. Hadhafang it is named: Hadhafang the Throng-cleaver, which was my father’s before me, which came to him from the hand of his father’s mother, from Idril Celebrindal.’

With fingers trembling and wonder in her eyes Éowyn reached for the hilt. Then delight broke across her face – ‘See!’ she exclaimed, ‘your name is upon it’: for though she was lettered in the script of Rohan, her husband had taught her the Cirth.

Queen Arwen laughed, and it was as though a thousand silver bells were set tinkling, or a brook ran clear and joyous to the Sea. ‘Well met,’ she said, ‘but thou art a royal maiden too—’

‘I am maid no longer,’ Éowyn smiled. ‘Say spearwife rather than shieldmaid.’

‘—a royal maiden with a quick tongue, indeed! A sharp tongue for a sharp blade. I would be glad for thee to have this sword.’

So saying, she pressed her gift into her lady’s hands, and Éowyn, feeling the heft of it, was pleased. ‘A blade for riding!’ she exclaimed. White Lady of Rohan, or Princess of Ithilien, she was still possessed of a seat upon a horse that set all to sigh in envy.

‘Éowyn,’ the queen began, but her words were forestalled by upraised hand.

‘What have you hidden from me, dear majesty?’ Éowyn teased. ‘I knew not that you too were a horse-lord at heart.’

Perceiving a little of Éowyn’s intent, Queen Arwen nearly gaped. ‘I have councils today,’ she protested, when she could find the words. ‘Estel and I are to speak with an ambassador of the Haradrim, and then there are the levies from trade in Lossarnach, and there is the matter of repairs to Osgiliath—’

‘Nay, lady queen,’ said Éowyn lightly, ‘you shall do none of that.’ And before Arwen could make any rejoinder, her small pale hand was seized and she was whirled out of the door, the skirts of her dove-grey gown and the bright blue of Éowyn’s tunic making a flurry of colour.

‘To the stables!’ Éowyn declared. ‘Hadhafang for Gondor, and for the honour of the Queen of Minas Anor – but first a ride through Emyn Arnen, if it please her grace!’ And the queen’s laughter turned to shouts, and filled the corridors for quite a time after.


End file.
